The flags cross the field after the Wildkat touchdown. Carried by cadets in camo, they cross the field once, twice, again and again as the Wildkats bring the score from seven, to 14 to an eventual 77 points against the Cleveland Indians.
The crew who run back and forth dressed in camo and combat boots is the Raider team of AFJROTC. They also stop in the end zone each time for seven push-ups celebrating the seven points on the scoreboard.
The Raiders is an opportunity for cadets to push themselves physically but also a great way to connect with each other.
“I joined Raiders because I love PT,” freshman Khloe Kennedy said. “Raiders is a good team to connect with and just to be around. And it’s honestly fun just hanging out with the team every day and working out.”
Running the flags up and down the field at football games is a challenge itself, but the Cleveland game really pushed the team physically with how many times they ran.
“My favorite part is running the flags and doing the push ups,” sophomore Phillip Weeks said. “We run down the field and do 7 push ups after each touchdown. At homecoming against Cleveland, we ran down there 11 times and did 77 push ups.”
Besides running the flags at football games, the Raiders Team participates in different competitions throughout the year.
“The Raiders team participates in a wide variety of competitions throughout the year,” junior Faustino Villarreal said. “For example we have two competitions coming up one on the 19 of October and the next is in early November. There are several others but there are 4 main competitions at the end of the year specifically for the raiders team. 3 of them are at Langham creek High school. And the last one is up in Huntsville at Gibbs ranch. Other smaller competitions are at drill meets.”
Joining AFJROTC gives students different opportunities no mater what they are interested in, many students encourage others to join and see where it takes them.
“I continued to be a part of JROTC because of the experiences and opportunities they offered; the Bataan Death March, our drill competitions, the field trips, etc. We do a lot during the school year and although it keeps me busy, it also gives me something to work on that isn’t just boring school work.”
Jones feels like the organization can really make a difference in the lives of the cadets who embrace the opportunities.
“I’ve known these people for a long time,” she said. “I’ve seen kids kick bad habits, improve their behavior, and become happier people overall. JROTC has something for everyone, no matter what you’re interested in. Plus, it looks awesome on resumes and applications.”
